Automatic coupling for pneumatic train pipes



Patented Oct. 27, 1925 MILE roDNAR, or Inns MOINES, IOWA. f

- AUTOMATIC ooUPLING non rNEUMATIc TRAIN Piras.

Animation inea september 12, 1923.-', ser'ii No. $62,244.f f

To kallwhomz't' may concern f Be it known that I,.MI L PonnAR, subjectof the King of serbfCroatiSlovene, and l resident of Des Moines, inthevcountyv of Polk and Statenof Iowa, United States of aAmerica,havefinvented a certain new and vuseful 'Automatic Coupling for vPneumatic Train Pipes, of'which the following is a specificationqf@ Y 4f This invention relates to improvements in ,Coupling-devices forconnecting 'fhf adlc e'nt ends-of train pipesjsuch as usedl infair,brakes in' commo'nuse. I

, The object o fmyinvention Alis. toprovide a coupling device of fcomparativelyisiinple, .durable and inexpensive constructionwhich Vmaybe applied tothe: ends; A off the ytrain i nerl thatV the@v said pipesmay be lautomati- Y' 1A further object-fs tolprovide arecoupled'together..r

Av furtherk object is t o.providefinf= pling :devicejfortrainpipes,means whereby f 'may .open `or closethe angleV valves without each endyofjeach of .the`V train 4pipes may pipe 'has been disconnected.

be automaticallyclosedy whenl the adjacentA f tion with anautomaticcouplingdevice],as

L claims, and illustrated in the VaeCQmpanying` v springs 26are formedthinner ,atgtheir'cen- -above described, ymeans whereby .the k.brakeswill be more positively actuated in case lof yan f accidentalseparation. 'of adjacent-cars.

A further objecty is -topro'vide .in anlautfomatie ooupling'deviceortr'ain ;,pipe s i'mprovedmeans' for supporting' the coupling members ina yieldable manner sothat posi- A tive coupling ,is assured, and the.pressure within thevtrainpipe maintained afterthe coupling-hasbecnfmade.

My invention consists arrangement and combination of the various parts`of the device, whereby the objects contemplatedware attained,y lashereii'iafter springs 26 aresecured to a band 27 which more fully setforth, pointed' out ini-my drawings, in .which Figure j1 1s yasideelevationofmy finiproved couplerV j showing:l the f 'manner i `which itis installed,`segments ojfthe ends;

wardl and from each other.

Figure 2 lsra C, =view taken on the line .'2- 2 ofFigure 1.

A" Figure 3 isanfenlarged detail-sectional ,vided with an annular an'ge28 so as to view taken on'ltheline of Figure 2. lf-

callycoupleda thejtirnjetwo adjacentcars f'tuated-fortheQ-:purposepfopening andclosin the construction, I

dean ionuitudinai Sectional f 'yieldably held in alin'einent with thepipe f fFigureA is v'aiplan view ofl one end ofa car. showingVtheinanner 1n which vmy img 'l The f numerals 1vO -vvand lllfiindicateendof -t e rod is supportedby means of a thence horizontally through themembers 12.

Therouter/ endv of the Ypipe 20 isl provided with a col-lar 22./towhich. is secured arubber zl1osef23', the Ahosebeing offav lengthslightlyr less than half ...the distance lliet/Ween the Ymembers 1 2.The free y end fof ftlie'hose 23 .is mountedfon one end of a hollowcylindrical. 'membera241,v shall termthe coupling plug; l'f

- The hose Y 23 Vis L securedvvv position 'by means of a band 25 whichentirely'en'circles the hose and'is `provided with a' series of springs26 vdesigned to'eXtend longitudinally with the hose. The opposite endsof the clampsthe hose 23 tof the'lcollar. 22. vThe ltr'al portion thanattheends'and arecurved "outwardlyfinsuch a manner that theA bandsproved coupler mechanism is. attached` therepipesofeachdndividnalfcarinsuch amanj bea ringQ17l .,'lfheouter Vendfof the rod 16 is also:provided withf'anhandle member 18 21. @The said pipes vare bentupwardly and The springs form a shoulder against which the outer end ofthe band 25 may rest, as clearly shown in Figure 2. A similar shoulderis formed on the collar 22 so `that-as the band 25 is moved toward theband 27, the pressure exerted by the springs 26 will be applied to saidshoulders. I

The outer end of the plug 24 is formed somewhat tapered .and has its:end provided with a conical opening or valve seat 29 to receive aconical valve 30 mounted on a rod 3l. The out-er endv of the rod 31 isscrew threaded at 32 and designed Ito `receive a nut 33. The valve 30 is,designed to rest against 4one end of anl enlarged portion 34 of the rod31. The nut33 is designed to lock the valvein position. The outer end oflthe rod 32 extends beyond the end of the valve a Vconsiderable distancefor purposes herein- .after made clear. :y

The rod '31 is slidably mounted in 'a supporting lbar 35 mounted I'inV,the opening of the plugf24, yas clearly shown in Vligures The member35yisl o'fa length equal to the diameter ofthe openingand secured ijnIposition by .means oi' rivets 736, and of a A width considerablylessthan' the diameter of theiopening to p rmit anair passage Aaround eachvof its e'dges The member 35 isfpiovi'ded with .a small cylinder37'providedwith ahead '38; The cylinder 37 `is designed to 'receive-ian"fair plunger 39 whichfis securedit'o'the inner end i Y of the rodv 31.l@ne-ot the walls ofthe cyl- Ainder 37'is providedwvith ,a by-passage 40having a controlling valve YThe member 34 is provided witha spring 42for the vpur- V`pose 'of holding'tl'ievalve 30 yieldablyclosed.

' The pipe 2171s provided with a set or springsand an .air hose similarlto the lone e described v.for the pipe20 and'indicatedby 4'the numeral43,'anda plugnnembersimilar `to the plug 24W-ith the exception that itsouter end'is provided with a cylindrical portion 44 in place offthetapered portion of4 the plug 24. l The said cylindrical Aportion isdesigned to `receive a rubber sleeve 45`provided with a disk 46 whichextends `transversely through the central lfportion' ofthe sleeve, andthe saidfdiskbeing provided with an opening 47. AThe disk 46Lisdesignedto rest normallyagainst the outer `end oli' the member 44.

VThe sleeve A45 is mounted'in `the smaller end of a rbell shapedcoupling member 48. The said smaller .end is screw threaded to themember 44.` The-member 44 is ,provided with' a lvalveV mecha'nismsimilarto the one .for theplug .24. The plug 24 is designedto enter the-bellsha-ped cofupling member and to enterthe sleeve 45, tandhave its endrest adjacent .tofthe' disk '46 when 'the cars Varein .a.coupledgpositioin the various parts being y o'fsuch lengt-h thatthesprings 26 will exert a pressure `for holding the ends of the mem- :andmove the valves toopen position so that a free air passage may beestablished between the two Vcoupling `members with the opening 29. Y

Referring to Figure 4, it will be vseen that Ythepipe 2O is providedwith ythe plug member 24 andthe pipe 21 provided with the 4bell shapedcoupling ymember 48. The end ot ythe opposite car is ,provided with asimilar arrangement, and so arranged 'asto mate with the vcouplingmembers of the lirst car. By this arrangement lit 'will tbe seen ythatlthe cars may be reversed end for end' and the coupling 'stillaccomplished. A f' Assumingthat jit is desiredftoseparatetwo cars, thebrakeman simply; releases the ;cou pling pin of the draw 'barcouplingdevice.

{'Tliisdpermits" the two cars 'ltojsepara'te jand .the plujg 24 `to lbepulledv out of ythe 'bellil Ishaped member 48. When this takes place,

the springs 42 willfin'ovethe valves f3() ,to a closed position, therebyclosing-the ends of the trainpipes andr permitting'the pressuref'therein to be maintained and the brakes maintained in a releasedposition. Y

In the actual operation of tra1ns,-however,

on the road, this is not desirable due 4tothe ,-factthat if two carsshould''be'accidentally separated, theseparated 'portion'v of thetrainwould have no means .of setting the lbrakes due ,to ythe ,a'ctlthatthebrakes, "as r,operated undertthe estinghouse and New York system areAautomatically closed by the reduction of the train pressure. Thisreduction wouldnot be .permitted ilithe valves v30 were closedimmediately. l p

lTo overcome this difficulty, I have pro- -vided the cylinder 37 .andthe, piston -or lll) plunger 39, whichsimply actsas a dash pot itoretard the action ofthe valves 30. The valves 30 are held open vasuiiicient Y'time to rpermit a substantial'reduction of the train pipes,permitting the brakesV to automatically set. The speed at which lthevalves 30 are closed is regulated by means `of the set screw 41 in theyby-pass 40.

-By this arrangement it will be seen vthat 'if one'or more cars Vofthegtrain shouldbecome separated from the balance ofthe'train,

4the separatedcars will have their brakes automatically set, whilezthatportionfof the train 'which is attachedto the engine will have itsVbrakes also temporarily set; This fil will give the engineer warning"that 'a portionot the train hasbeen separated.` .After the brakes-otthe front portion otthe train have been temporarily "set,"t h`e' frontone "of vthe valves 30 will close and the train pres- It will be seenthattheswitching of some of the cars from the main train under certainconditions may be maintained Without closing the angle valves 15, butthe brakes will be automatically set without any further attention ofthe brakeman, andwhen the train is recoupled, the train vpipe is au.tomatically placed in operative relation with the engine, which willprovide a considerable saving of time in switching cars under certaincondition. In fact vthe only time it would be really desirable to closethe angle valves 15 would be when it is desired to make what is commonlyknown as a fly switch. This is accomplished by the very rapid movementof the train in the' reverse direction with thel coupling disconnectedsuddenly stopping the engine, which per-v mits the disconnected portionvof the tram to take the switch. In this case, the valve 80 will probablyclose too quickly and causethe brakes to be set beforethe cars havereached their-proper position on the switch.

Thus it vwill be seen that I have provided an automatic coupler fortrain pipes of simple, durable and inexpensive construction whichautomatically couples the ends of a train pipe without the necessityofthe brakeman entering between the ends of the cars, thereby eliminatingthe danger of injury. f

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with one end of a train pipe, a coupling plug, a bellshaped coupling member, means for yieldably mounting each of saidmembers spaced apart' and parallel with each other in such a manner thatWhen two cars equipped with said device are connected together inoperative relation, kthe plug member of one car will enter the bellshaped member of the oppositecar, each of said members beingprovidedlwith an air passage communicating with the main train pipe and incommunication With eachother whenv in coupled relation, means in eachof.

the bell shaped members and plug members Jfor automatically closing thecommunicating openings through them, and means for re-y tarding theaction of said closing means.

2. In combination with one end of a train pipe, a coupling plug, a bellshaped coupling member, meansvfor yieldably mounting .each of saidmembers spaced apart and parallel with eachother in such a manner thatwhen, two lcars equipped with said device are connected together inoperative relation, the plug member ofone car will enter the bellshaped'member. of theopposite car, each of said members being providedwith an air passage communicating withthe main train pipe and incommunication with each other when in coupled relation, means in each ofthe bell shaped membersl and plug members "lov for automatically closingthe communicating l openings through them, means for retarding theactionof said closing means, Aand means for adjusting the action of the lastsaid means. v

3.v An automatic coupler for train pipes comprising a T adapted to beconnected to one end of a train pipe and provided with branch pipes, theend of said branch pipes being "spaced apart and parallel with eachother and longitudinal with the train, a collar for the outer end ofeachof said pipes, a iexible hose vfor said collar,-ar plug memberYoperatively connected with the' free yend of one of said hosemembersand a bell shaped l, member vconnected with'the freeend oftheY oppositehose member, means forv yieldably supporting said plug member and saidbell shaped members in parallel relation with each other and foryieldably supporting said` Y members against longitudinal movement.

. said yieldable means comprising a band supported on each yend of'sai'dhose, each of said bands being provided with a series of spring membersextending parallel with said hose, said s ring members being bulgedoutwardly and t inner at their central po-rtions.

4. In a device of the classvdescribed, an automaticv coupling member foryone endl of a train pipe having a communicating passage with saidvtrain pipe, a valve seat in the free end ofv said coupling member, avalve forsaid seat, a spring for moving said Valve to a closed position,a` dash pot forfretarding the closing action of said spring, and meansfor adjusting the action of said dash pot.

Des Moines, Iowa, J une 29', 1923.

` p MILE PODNAR.

